Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory skin condition that may have a major impact in your quality of life and body image, all of which may result in social anxiety. In turn, social stress and anxiety may also worsen psoriasis.
The condition causes areas of skin to grow to be inflamed, flushed, and flaky, and the looks of psoriatic lesions may lead you to feel anxious, depressed, and self-conscious. However, there are various resources to assist individuals with psoriasis manage these feelings.
This article explains the connection between psoriasis and social anxiety and provides recommendations on maintaining a positive body image.
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The Link Between Psoriasis and Social Anxiety
Research has found that psoriasis causes social anxiety, resulting in a lower quality of life. One review found that roughly 15% of individuals with psoriasis have social anxiety disorder.
Social anxiety is a variety of anxiety triggered by social situations by which an individual fears they could be judged or rejected based on how they act, behave, or appear.
Those with psoriasis may feel social stigma based on their appearance and worry about how they’re perceived based on their psoriasis lesions, contributing to social anxiety.
Body Image and Feelings of Self-Worth
Psoriasis may cause red, gray, white, or brown scaly patches in your skin which will itch, flake, ooze, or crack. In short, psoriasis can significantly affect your appearance and body image and contribute to social anxiety.
One study found that psoriasis lesions on the pinnacle and neck were related to the very best levels of social anxiety. This is probably going because those are probably the most visible areas of your body in social interactions.
Appearance plays a big role in many individuals’s self-worth; due to this fact, when psoriasis alters their appearance, their self-worth is negatively impacted. Additionally, many individuals with psoriasis report feeling stigmatized by their condition, adversely affecting them in work and social settings.
What Does Social Anxiety Look Like?
Social anxiety looks different than general anxiety, and it’s greater than just “shyness.” It is brought on specifically by social situations, from an upcoming performance or big presentation at work to easily meeting up with a friend or small talk in an elevator.
Social anxiety can look different from individual to individual, but listed here are some examples of how it might manifest:
- Feeling self-conscious in on a regular basis social interactions
- Dread or deep fear around all levels of social interaction
- Persistent fear that other individuals are negatively judging or evaluating you
- Overthinking the way you had appeared, spoke, or behaved in social situations or “playing them over” in your head
- Avoiding social interactions, especially meeting recent people or novel social situations
- Difficulty eating or going to the restroom in public, attending work or school functions, or with public speaking
- Physically feeling sick, rigid, rapid heartbeat, sweating, trembling, or blushing
Who Is More Likely to Experience Social Anxiety With Psoriasis?
Not everyone with psoriasis has social anxiety. Scientists have investigated what aspects predispose an individual with psoriasis to social anxiety. These include:
- Gender: Women with psoriasis are more likely than men to have social anxiety and other psychological disorders.
- Personality: Personality traits are linked to social anxiety amongst individuals with psoriasis. People with psoriasis and social anxiety usually tend to have neuroses (symptoms of stress, akin to depression, anxiety, and hypochondria) and are less prone to be extroverted.
- Disease severity: There is mixed research on the connection between psoriasis severity and social anxiety. One study found that higher disease severity was linked to higher levels of social anxiety, but only amongst those people whose psoriasis began before maturity. Another study found no relationship between disease severity and social anxiety.
- Lesion location: The location of the psoriasis lesions could also be a greater predictor of social anxiety than the severity of the disease. Lesions on the pinnacle and neck are linked to higher levels of social anxiety.
- Social support: A scarcity of perceived social support may play a job in whether an individual with psoriasis is prone to have social anxiety or not.
Psoriasis and Stress Triggers
Stress is one of the vital common triggers for psoriasis flares, making a difficult situation if you happen to find social interactions stressful.
For one, you do not need the stress of interaction to worsen your psoriasis, and as well, you do not need to isolate yourself from friends, family, and work.
Relaxation techniques, stress management tools, psychotherapy, and other methods can all help lessen stress’s impact on psoriasis.
Can Psoriasis Cause Anxiety?
Psoriasis may cause anxiety. One systematic review, the very best level of research, found that between 7% and 48% of individuals with psoriasis had high levels of tension, which was significantly higher than the healthy individuals without psoriasis.
Researchers imagine that that is resulting from social and biological aspects. People with psoriasis report feeling stigmatized and judged resulting from their lesions, which may contribute to anxiety. Biologically, there are similarities within the inflammatory processes involved in each anxiety and psoriasis, which could also contribute to the link.
Can Stress and Anxiety Cause Psoriasis?
Psoriasis and anxiety have a bidirectional relationship, meaning that just as psoriasis may cause anxiety, so can stress and anxiety cause or worsen psoriasis. It is an ongoing area of study.
The field of study that examines the connection between skin conditions and mental health conditions is known as psychodermatology. The connection between anxiety and psoriasis is complex, however the shared inflammatory process is essential.
There is evidence that treating mental health conditions with psychotherapy can improve psoriasis lesion severity and the full surface area affected.
How to Deal With Psoriasis and Social Anxiety
It’s vital first to acknowledge that having psoriasis and social anxiety is difficult. You may feel torn between wanting to socialize and connect with others and fearing the way you can be perceived or judged.
Managing stress is crucial for keeping social anxiety and psoriasis under control. Start by identifying your stressors so you may work to administer them.
Some ways to administer stress and live well with psoriasis include:
- Getting regular exercise
- Trying leisure techniques like mindfulness, meditation, hypnosis, biofeedback, or yoga
- Seeking support from a psychotherapist
- Eating a healthy and balanced weight-reduction plan
- Finding clothing and fabrics that make you’re feeling confident
- Keeping your skin moisturized
- Having open conversations with friends, family, and colleagues about psoriasis
Understanding Negative Self-Talk
You may not realize you are engaging in negative self-talk until you are taking a step back, analyze your thoughts, and grow to be aware of how you think that or discuss yourself. When you notice a negative considered your psoriasis, challenge it with self-compassion.
Self-compassion is the way you treat yourself while you feel inadequate or as if you have failed. It involves accepting your struggle, understanding that you simply’re not alone in these feelings, and supporting yourself in these difficult moments.
Focusing on the positives in your personality, environment, relationships, or skills can all help construct resilience and lessen the negative internal self-talk.
Achieving Self-Love and Acceptance
Achieving self-love and acceptance with psoriasis is far easier said than done. This is a lifelong process, and your relationship with yourself changes over time, just as your psoriasis does.
Self-esteem and acceptance are vital components of living well with psoriasis. According to 1 study by which all participants had the identical level of psoriasis, those with higher self-esteem were:
- Less likely to think about themselves as unattractive
- Less incessantly believed that other people gazed at their lesions
- Less incessantly avoided other people due to their psoriasis
Remember that if someone comments negatively about your skin, this reflects poorly on them, not you. Try to not internalize those comments or generalize them to everyone else.
Consider Support Groups and Professional Help
If social anxiety and psoriasis are negatively impacting your life, consider attending a support group. Connecting with other individuals who share your autoimmune condition and may relate to the stressors that accompany it may well show you how to feel empowered and assured. You may find that it is a stepping stone to feeling less social anxiety in other settings.
You can also want to think about getting skilled help from a licensed therapist. Therapy is an evidence-based treatment option for each anxiety and psoriasis. Talk to a healthcare provider for recommendations or contact a therapist directly; you do not need a referral.
Summary
Psoriasis is an autoimmune skin condition that may cause lesions anywhere on the body. It will be painful and itchy and is linked to mental health conditions akin to social anxiety. People with psoriasis may feel stigmatized or judged due to their lesions, but there are also biological processes that connect social anxiety and psoriasis.
